Jupp Heynckes will have one eye on next Wednesday’s DFB Pokal quarter-final against holders Borussia Dortmund when he picks his Bayern Munich team to face Werder Bremen on Saturday.

The 67-year-old, who is set to be replaced by Pep Guardiola this summer, is likely to hand a start to winger Arjen Robben in preparation for the cup showdown, which Franck Ribery will miss due to suspension.

Striker Mario Gomez could also make a return to the first XI as Mario Mandzukic is rested, and Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo is in line to come in for Javi Martinez alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger in the middle of the park.

Defender Holger Badstuber is sidelined for the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury and striker Claudio Pizarro, who played six seasons for Bremen over two stints, is out with a virus.

Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos should be available for boss Thomas Schaaf after recovering from a bout of flu, but right-back Theodor Gebre Selassie is still recovering from surgery to replace a broken bone in his hand, which means Serbia international Aleksandar Ignjovski will get the start.

Midfielders Pedrag Stevanovic and Philipp Bargfrede and striker Niclas Fullkrug are all long-term absentees due to knee injuries.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bayern Munich have won all six of their matches in 2013, conceding just once and scoring 16 times.

Bayern have triumphed in each of their last four Bundesliga matches against Werder Bremen and have not lost to Saturday’s opponents since suffering a 5-2 defeat in September 2008.

Four Bayern players (Mario Mandzukic, Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos and Bastian Schweinsteiger) have scored at least five goals in the league so far this season.

Werder Bremen are 11th in the Bundesliga table coming into Saturday’s match and are 29 points adrift of the league leaders.

Coach Thomas Schaaf is very much a one-club man, having joined Bremen as an 11-year-old in 1972 before embarking on a 17-year professional career with the club as a defender. He has managed the team since 1999.

Bremen striker Nils Petersen is on loan from Bayern Munich, having scored four goals in 15 matches in all competitions for the Bavarians last season.

Players to watch

After starting from the bench of late, the winger is likely to feature from the off on Saturday and will be looking to give Heynckes something to think about ahead of the cup clash with Borussia Dortmund. The 29-year-old has played just 12 times in all competitions this campaign.

On loan from Chelsea, De Bruyne has been one of the better playmakers in the Bundesliga this season. Coming into Saturday’s match he has recorded seven assists—more than any other Bremen player—and has chipped in with five goals as well.

Editor's Prediction

Bayern have shown no signs of weakness in 2013. The goal they conceded against Arsenal was the first their first of the year and they are unbeaten in all competitions going back to late October—a run of 19 matches. Number 20 should come on Saturday.